HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-13-2024 Fairhope Environmental Advisory Board Meeting MinutesMEETING MINUTES
SEPTEMBER 13,2024 /3 -4 PM,LIBRARY ~GIDDENS CONFERENCE CENTER
ATTENDEES
COF Officials:Christina LeJeune,Nicole Love
FEAB Board Members:Amy Paulson,Ben Frater,Gary Gover,Jim Horner,Carl Couret,Nigel Temple,Steven
Scyphers,Jennifer Foutch,Anna Miller
Official Quorum Count:9/9
FEAB Active Participants:Lance Slater,Cynthia Rush,Jamie Crawford
Honored Guests:Nancy Harrison,Reba Cunningham
Minutes Author:Nigel Temple
Commencement:Amy called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m.
SUMMARY OF SALIENT DECISIONS,DISCUSSION,AND ACTIONS
●COF Comprehensive Land Use Plan (LUP):FEAB submitted a letter to the City reaffirming our
commitment to assist with implementation and annual review of the environmental aspects of the Plan.
●FEAB Greenspace Working Group:as greenspace definitions are now standardized for this effort and
groundwork in place,focus of current work is on actively assessing available parcel quality.The working
group is engaging Univ of South AL students to progress a GIS project that will help identify and rank
existing and potential greenspace options within the City.
●COF Greenspace Management:FEAB was engaged by COF and provided detailed recommendations to
implement successful and low-cost management options for the Winn Dixie pond,including a future vision
with phased (and fundable)projects to achieve it.The COF Urban Forester followed up with the AL Dept of
Environmental Management,which confirmed that there are few regulatory constraints that would
prevent the City from manipulating water levels in the pond as desired.
●Water Conservation:FEAB has been informed that the WWTP Feasibility Study task specific to water
conservation technology that would be suitable to our town was originally funded,awarded to KREBS,but
has since been tabled.FEAB provided scope language for the pursuit in early 2024 upon request from City
officials to assist solving the City ’s recurring water availability crisis.FEAB will not follow up on this item
again unless brought back as a priority item by Council or the Mayor ’s office.
DETAILED MINUTES
1.Priority Issues and Subcommittee Reports
a.COF LUP (Ben)
i.Additional focus on parks in the Eastern reach of the City and amendments to buffer
language was discussed.
ii.Action:Amy to review and amend letter,as necessary.
b.Green Space Assessment (Ben)
i.Subcommittee met again in August
ii.Defining Green Space
1.FEAB is recruiting USA students to help with identifying existing and potential
greenspace options within the City.
2.Categorical assessment of parcel quality is next priority.
3.Action:Subcommittee to proceed with points 1 and 2.
c.Green Space Management
i.Winn Dixie Pond proposal (Carl and Ben)
1.Met with Justin to discuss recommendations for managing Winn Dixie Pond,
including existing and potential hydrology,regulatory compliance with
stormwater management function (potential need for engineering/hydrologic
study),partnership/coordination with COF DPW,native species plant and fish
introductions,interpretation/education opportunity (pavilion,signage),and
identification of appropriate recreation opportunities (i.e.,trails,benches,
nature viewing),and liability issues (fish consumption chemical and metal
concerns due to proximity to large parking lot).
2.Justin met with ADEM;they indicated there was latitude with stormwater
management permits and potential to manipulate drainage/increase capacity
and pond depth.
a.First step will be to deepen pond and add fountain.
b.Second step is to introduce native vegetation and fishes.Fishes may
include triploid carp (see further information on reliability of triploid as
population control),that will help manage debris and algae.
c.Signage and scaling to follow.
ii.Upcoming events with emphasis on potential environmental impacts
1.Knoll park -volunteer ornamental planting -confirmed all target “ornamental”
species are native.FEAB was collectively excited and very supportive of this
approach and is available to assist planting upon request/as needed.
2.Colony park -large-scale cross country event required route mowing,in
addition to the frisbee golf course management.
d.SWaMP (Jennifer)
i.SWaMP is leading a composting demonstration project with FHS hosted on school
property.
e.Energy Policy (Anna)
i.Baldwin County (and other municipalities)are working to implement new building codes
for 2024.These codes will not progress energy requirements/code beyond existing.
ii.Existing codes are approximately 2011,which is quite ahead for the region but behind
the more current technology and approach across the nation.
f.Water conservation (Amy)
i.Feasibility study funded but tabled for now.
g.Butterfly Pavilion -guest speaker:Nancy Harrision
i.Seeks to create a facility to teach kids/adults how to care for butterflies to maximize
survival and growth.
ii.She shared photos of her DIY home garden and successes,suggests that her methods
could scale to a larger facility with ecological and educational benefits.
iii.She has already met with FEEF and others.
h.Working waterfront -Guest:Reba Cunningham connected with Nicole Love to obtain information
on waterfront project
i.Fairhope pier educational signs (Steven)
i.Steven and team are pursuing funding to display educational and regulatory information
on signs to be posted along Fairhope pier
ADJOURNMENT:The meeting was adjourned at 4 p.m.
NEXT MEETING:Friday,October 11 @ 3 p.m.@ Fairhope Public Library
FEAB CONTACT INFORMATION:
Chairperson:
Amy Paulson amy.paulson@yahoo.com (251)654-7401
Board Members:
Carl Couret ccouretjr@yahoo.com (251)518-6376
Jennifer Foutch Foutch.jennifer@gmail.com (618)318-0354
Ben Frater ben.frater@gmail.com (404)314-8815
Gary Gover govers@bellsouth.net (251)990-8662
Jim Horner none (251)928-9722
Anna Miller anna@keenliving.pro (251)279-0395
Steven Scyphers sscyphers@southalabama.edu (334)701-8864
Nigel Temple 757nigel@gmail.com (757)803-3589
Active Participants
Lance Slater lanceslater@gmail.com
Sarah Bogdanovich smbogdanovitch@gmail.com (727)421-7321
Sarah Chandler sarahchandler504@gmail.com (504)239-6651
Jamie Crawford 7jamiecrawford7@gmail.com TBD
Cynthia Rush crush300@gmail.com (251)223-3880
Carole Tebay cftebay@gmail.com (850)466-6592
CITY CONTACTS:
Corey Martin,COF City Council corey.martin@fairhopeal.gov
Nicole Love,COF Grants Coordinator nicole.love@fairhopeal.gov
Christina LeJeune,COF Planning and Zoning Department christina.lejeune@fairhopeal.gov
Justin Hammers,COF Urban Forrester justin.hammers@fairhopeal.gov